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Top positive review

I read Ann Patchett’s “Patron Saint of Liars”, when it came out almost 30 years ago and loved it so much that I wrote Ms. Patchett a letter praising it, and she wrote me a lovely note back; I became a fan for life, reading every one of her marvelous (and unique!) novels. So yes, I was primed to love “The Dutch House”, and I did! Not just because it’s my habit to rave about Patchett’s novels, but because it’s GREAT; it’s my new favorite!

“The Dutch House”, (itself as much a character as any of the humans in the novel) is in a suburb of Philadelphia. Just after WWII, Cyril Conroy buys the palatial mansion – fully and sumptuously furnished – for his wife Elna and it is where Danny and Maeve Conroy grew up. Danny is our first-person narrator and he and Maeve are a modern day Hansel and Gretel, complete with abandonment, banishment, and a wicked step-mother. They even have three Fairy Godmothers: Fluffy, Sandy, and Jocelyn.

“The Dutch House” is the story of a “modern family”, as this was the era when families started to become fractured and step-parents and step-siblings became more prevalent. Some of these themes Patchett explored beautifully in “Commonwealth”, and she knows whereof she speaks because she’s written essays about her own large, extended, loosely-related-by-a-string, family.

I was absorbed from page one, and I hated to turn the last page. What makes Patchett so accessible and relevant is her beautiful writing, her wit, and the fascinating stories she spins out of every-day life.

At the most surprising, dramatic, and climactic scene in the novel Danny narrates: “I had not been born with an imagination large enough to encompass this moment.” Well, Ann Patchett was born with an imagination large enough – thank heavens! What a magnificent story!

Top critical review

Although the author writes well and the characters are engaging, the plot is ridiculous. After finishing the book, I felt like I had overindulged in an all-you-can eat buffet, full of empty calories. The best novels either make you see life in a different way or at least encourage you to examine important questions. This, on the other hand, is pure tripe.

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I read Ann Patchett’s “Patron Saint of Liars”, when it came out almost 30 years ago and loved it so much that I wrote Ms. Patchett a letter praising it, and she wrote me a lovely note back; I became a fan for life, reading every one of her marvelous (and unique!) novels. So yes, I was primed to love “The Dutch House”, and I did! Not just because it’s my habit to rave about Patchett’s novels, but because it’s GREAT; it’s my new favorite!

“The Dutch House”, (itself as much a character as any of the humans in the novel) is in a suburb of Philadelphia. Just after WWII, Cyril Conroy buys the palatial mansion – fully and sumptuously furnished – for his wife Elna and it is where Danny and Maeve Conroy grew up. Danny is our first-person narrator and he and Maeve are a modern day Hansel and Gretel, complete with abandonment, banishment, and a wicked step-mother. They even have three Fairy Godmothers: Fluffy, Sandy, and Jocelyn.

“The Dutch House” is the story of a “modern family”, as this was the era when families started to become fractured and step-parents and step-siblings became more prevalent. Some of these themes Patchett explored beautifully in “Commonwealth”, and she knows whereof she speaks because she’s written essays about her own large, extended, loosely-related-by-a-string, family.

I was absorbed from page one, and I hated to turn the last page. What makes Patchett so accessible and relevant is her beautiful writing, her wit, and the fascinating stories she spins out of every-day life.

At the most surprising, dramatic, and climactic scene in the novel Danny narrates: “I had not been born with an imagination large enough to encompass this moment.” Well, Ann Patchett was born with an imagination large enough – thank heavens! What a magnificent story!

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Reminiscent of some of our favorite siblings in great literature such as Phoebe and Holden, Franny and Zooey, and Jem and Scout, sister and brother Maeve and Danny, in Ann Patchett’s latest novel THE DUTCH HOUSE are inseparable, protective of each other, as circumstances require, and caught in the crossfire of their own unique tragedies. From the start of the book, Maeve and Danny grab your heart. Young children who live in a house that looks that on the outside is the stuff of fairy tales but on the inside, it is far from it. Unless you count some characters like those in Cinderella. Their successful, stern father has not an ounce of sensitivity nor does he seem to have the warmth that children crave and need. Their mother is quite the opposite, but she has her own issues. She is soon to abandon young Maeve and Danny (this is not a spoiler). All that seems to be stable is this gorgeous Dutch house, overly grand, yet comforting in its own way.

I was so deeply moved by this book. A bond so tight between a sister and brother. Their memories are bounded by the house in which they live and the portraits on the walls from the previous owners add more than décor, they are a symbol of the past. I admire their connection to something ever so elusive and their ability to care for one another despite their lack of parental compassion as a guide. I eagerly anticipated the dialogue between Maeve and Danny at every stage, as life moves them along. While there is looming heartache in their lives, they are survivors, and Patchett creates a language between them that keeps you captivated throughout. And, it is not without humor. I’m talking smirking as you read, wicked at times, of the must underline variety.

Houses have been an integral part of literature for years and THE DUTCH HOUSE is no exception. It makes you feel like you are, not necessarily an invited guest, but a privileged fly on the wall to this gracious residence steeped with secrets that you will long to learn. The second Mrs. de Winter of Manderley has nothing on the mistress of the Dutch house.

I was left wondering, with each chapter, how she came up with this story. I am in awe with how each character is connected, where they were going, and what would become of them. THE DUTCH HOUSE is most definitely my number one of Ms. Patchett's books.

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I am a huge fan of Ann Patchett, both her novels and her less appreciated non-fiction. For me, her last novel - Commonwealth - was disappointing. The Dutch House is a return to her usual form, a compelling and sensitive book. Highly recommended.

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I’m not sure this book would be for everyone but I absolutely loved it! It is a slow burn and you’re never totally sure where the story is going to go. There is also no huge climatic ending. However, I am a huge fan of family sagas and this one was perfect. I loved Danny (possibly because he narrated the story and I switched back and forth between reading and Audible and Danny was TOM HANKS). I also loved the relationship between Danny and Maeve and can only hope my own children would cling to eachother this tightly in good and bad. If you are a fan of Ann Patchett’s writing and enjoy stories of family, faith and forgiveness then I highly recommend this book.

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This is my favorite of her novels. I have read them all. Up till now my favs were The Magician's Assistant and Patron Saint of Liars but now they come in second and third to Dutch House. Her characters are unforgettable---- dialogue so realistic, descriptions of the house are visual down to the last detail. This is the best brother/sister novel I have ever read. I hope she wins all the book awards on this year. She is just the best contemporary author today. If I could give 10 stars I would.

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Oh, this book! This book! This is one of those rare books that I not only enjoyed from the first sentence to the last, but also it touched my heart and soul in a way I always hope will happen with each book I read but only rarely does.

Magnificently written by Ann Patchett, this is the story of the Conroy siblings, Maeve and Danny. Told in the first person by Danny over a five-decade span, it begins with a recounting of their extraordinary childhood, growing up in what was known as "the Dutch house," a mansion—with a ballroom on the third floor and a dining room ceiling decorated in gold leaf—in the suburbs of Philadelphia. But all too soon, this magical world was destroyed for the children by the parents who were supposed to be loving them and taking care of them. First abandoned by their mother, ignored by their father, and later cast out on to the street by their stepmother, Maeve and Danny only have each other. She fiercely protects Danny. He idolizes Maeve. But when the unimaginable actually happens, their loving sibling relationship is tested to the core.

This is an astute psychological study of what it means to be a family and how those relationships—no matter how damaged they may be—ultimately determine who we are as adults. And it is only by forgiving, even when everything about it seems unforgiveable, that we find real happiness and contentment in life.

The writing is bold and forthright, but when needed it's perfectly subtle and nuanced. The story is definitely one that is character-driven so the plot plays second fiddle, but even so the "what happens next" part is absolutely captivating.

Bonus: Maeve Conroy is a type 1 diabetic, as are my son and grandson. I am forever grateful to Ann Patchett for her intelligent and perceptive descriptions of what it means to live with this dreadful disease.

This is a 10-star book in a five-star world. Read it. Savor it. It's a very special book.

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I love Ann Patchett's work and The Dutch House does not disappoint. The book is named for the 1922 home where Danny and Maeve, an inseparable brother and sister, grow up. The house becomes a character in the story with its see-through windows, and appearance of floating on top of the hill. Yet, even though the landscaping reflects the changing seasons, The Dutch House never changes. It's filled with treasures left by its previous owners who left during the depression, furniture and drapery that are never changed after Maeve and Danny's father buy the home at an auction. While all the other characters change and grow, The Dutch House remains a constant.

Their mother is overwhelmed by the house and its ostentatiousness. After nine years, she up and leaves the house and her children, bringing Danny and Maeve even closer together. Eight-year-old Danny doesn't really know what's happening when their cold father introduces them to Andrea, a woman who will become their stepmother, bringing her own two daughters. In the world of bad stepmothers, Andrea is right up there as one of the worst, surpassing even Cinderella's stepmothers.

Danny says, "The only thing our father really cared about in life was his work: the building he built and owned and rented out. He rarely sold anything, choosing instead to leverage what he had in order to buy more." So he left Maeve to tend to Danny. And he let Andrea take over the house, who went so far as to give Maeve's childhood bedroom away to her daughter while Maeve was at school, on top of firing the help the children had grown up with.

When their father dies, through a system of wills and trusts their father bungled, Maeve and Danny are kicked out of The Dutch House by Andrea. They become acquainted with poverty for the first time in their lives. The only silver lining is an educational trust. Danny is basically forced to go to medical school by Maeve to use up as much of the trust as is possible, leaving little for Andrea’s daughters, a seeming act of revenge. The trouble is Danny only wants to follow in his father’s footsteps, buying up old buildings. He has no interest in being a doctor.

The intensity of Maeve and Danny’s relationship is the highlight of the novel. For those of us who aspire to such relationships or know they are not possible, their tender care for each other over the years will tug at your heartstrings.

Ultimately, this is a story about how a brother and sister’s love for each other transcends circumstances that would cause others to break. Death, revenge, illness, and socio-economic status all play a part in holding the story together. The surprise ending will pull your heart in all directions.

Ann Patchett is a genius at dissecting family relationships. Her characters are rich and complex. You will hate some of them and love others. The rub is deciding if a particular character deserves hate, love, or forgiveness—or all three.

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This is an enjoyable read. The language is relatively simple and unpretentious, and the flow of the dialogue is smooth and appropriate for the time frame of the action---1950s - 1970s. The characters are well-developed, not one dimensional, and the irony of the novel's resolution of conflicts comes across as clever enough to make the reader root for "the good guys," as it were. This is a "feel good" novel, a refreshing change from the memoir, which seems to have taken hold as the "in" form of writing these days. I think that if the reader is able to put him or herself into the parallel space of the the central characters, he or she will be better able to understand the issues raised in the work, as well as to appreciate the importance of family as a unit and its place in the history of a homestead.

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I have loved all of Ann Patchett’s books and I must say that this one is my favorite. I was hooked at the first sentence and remained hooked until the end. This is one of those rare books that you want to rush to finish, but at the same time you do not want it to end. Reading this book is like a master class in story telling and writing. And the author loves dogs and co-owns an independent bookstore! What more do you need to know to pick up this book?

Set in suburban Philadelphia over the course of almost 60 years, this is the story of Maeve and her baby brother Danny. The story is narrated by Danny beginning when he is 8 years old. Maeve and Danny’s mother left the family and is apparently in India helping the poor. Their father Cyril made his fortune buying and selling properties. He is a mostly absent father so the children are raised by their housekeepers and previously a nanny. Cyril’s grandest purchase was the Dutch House, a ridiculously opulent mansion that intrigues the children and scares off their mother. The book opens with the appearance of Andrea, who will soon be their evil stepmother. Andrea only has eyes for the house and for her two younger daughters. When Cyril dies, Maeve and Danny discover that they are left with nothing. No home and no money, except a trust fund for Danny’s education. Maeve has already graduated college, has a job, and lives on her own. She pushes Danny to use as much of the trust as possible, which he does in spite of his own future plans. The story follows Maeve and Danny as they become adults, always haunted by their past and by the Dutch House.

There are so many wonderful themes about family, forgiveness, relationships, and memory. Do we remember things as they really were or are memories colored by who we are? Both Maeve and Danny have different memories of their parents and also different experiences. A good part of this novel is about how the two of them put the pieces of their family together. It is also about the sacrifices they make for each other. This is a powerhouse of a book. The writing is perfect, the characters are interesting, and the story remains compelling all the way through. Unlike Ms. Patchett, I do not have the words to express how wonderful this book is. You will just have to read it for yourself!

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Narrator Danny and his sister Maeve were raised in the titular house. Having been abandoned by their mother, they live in the mansion with their real estate tycoon father and a handful of servants. When Andrea sets her sites on the house and the single man within, she is determined to become mistress of the Dutch House. But her role as step-mother to Danny and Maeve is something she does not relish. The rest of the book explores how the two siblings cope with their expulsion from their home and the obstacles they overcome in adulthood.

Andrea is certainly portrayed as the villain in the first half of the book, although Danny reflects, “The truth is I have plenty of memories of her being perfectly decent. I just choose to dwell on the ones in which she wasn’t… At the time I didn’t hate her, so why do I scrub out every memory of kindness, or even civility, in favor of the memories of someone being awful?” The latter half of the book deals more with reconciliations and forgiveness, and though Andrea is largely absent, the repercussions of her actions reverberate through Danny and Maeve’s lives.

What’s not to love about Patchett’s exquisite writing and phenomenal storytelling? I appreciate her meandering narrative style and how she is so adept at incorporating characters’ memories into the story. This was a solid, highly enjoyable family saga, and it just reinforces that Patchett is one of my all-time favorite authors.